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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Ina Garten's Coconut Madeleines!

Lately, I adore any recipe that reminds me of our trip to the blissfully sublime city of Paris. The foods...the markets...the sights...the smells...the history...it was all so inspiring! Recently, I purchased a copy of Ina Garten's cookbook, "Barefoot in Paris," and I knew that I had to try her recipe for Coconut Madeleines as soon as possible. These little cookie 'cakes' are so easy and SO scrumptious...and one bite transports me back to the sidewalks of the Saint Germain des Pres area where we sipped espresso and people-watched from a cozy bistro table at the famous Les Deux Magots.

I was able to find a wonderful Madeleine pan at Williams-Sonoma. It worked beautifully and the cookies popped out perfectly. They kind of taste like little pound cakes! The addition of coconut is so yummy. If you're not a coconut fan, you can easily substitute anything from orange or lemon zest to chocolate chips...you can even dip half of each cookie in ganache. I definitely plan to experiment with different combinations and have fun with this recipe. There are many possibilities!

If you've never tried Madeleines before, now is the perfect time! Give these a try...I promise you'll like them!

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed for 3 minutes, or until light yellow and fluffy. Add 1/4 pound of butter and mix. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and stir into the batter with a rubber spatula. Stir in the coconut.

With a soup spoon, drop the batter into the pans, filling each shell almost full. Bake the madeleines for 10 to 12 minutes, until they spring back when pressed. Tap the madeleines out onto a baking pan lined with parchment paper and allow to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Good evening! First, sorry for my english...I like your blog very much. What lovely and tasty Madeleines! Just an advice, if I can... if you want a "hump" on the top of your madeleines, you should place the pastry (or paste?) in the fridge during 2 or 3 hours before putting in the oven. See you soon..